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Razzaq needs to realise that his bowling and fielding are not good enough for international standards

Even though players like Razzaq, Butt, Ajmal, Malik etc have shown some improvement compared to how they used to field years ago, the problem Pakistan is facing is that the standard of fielding is not improving in line with how fielding has improved in countries like Sri Lanka, India and West Indies. This is sadly again due to the fact that, other teams are selecting players on the basis of their fielding ability and

Political selections such as that of Malik and Misbah have obviously prevented the selection of good players

then giving them exposure to cricket so that they can get better in other departments. At one time Pakistan could dismiss this strategy with minimal fuss because they had match winners like Anwar, Inzamam, Wasim, Waqar etc. But now for whatever reason the same calibre of players is not emerging, and therefore Pakistan needs to rethink its strategy. For example, Sri Lanka played Dilshan whose bowling was like Shoaib Malik’s when he started, and batting was like a tailender’s. But, he was in the team mainly due to his fielding and now he is one of the best batsmen in limited overs cricket. India used Suresh Raina who was also an expert fielder but then he improved his batting and has now become one of India’s most reliable players. Pakistan introduced Fawad Alam three years too late and he responded by playing some match winning knocks in T20, and an unprecedented century on a seaming track in Tests, but he has been sidelined due to politics. As a batsman and fielder both, Fawad was miles better than Dilshan and Raina (keeping in mind how they were when they started) but now his international cricket future is uncertain, simply because his countrymen would prefer to see someone like Shoaib Malik in the team rather than him.

The form of Pakistan's key bowlers is worrying

The Pakistan think tank cannot impose a system where merit is the main factor in selection, and Pakistan cricket is suffering because of this. An important tour lies ahead for this underperforming team, and if predictions are anything to go by Pakistan is likely to lose the Test series against England and Australia.

The summer weather in England so far this year has been drier than normal, and how much that would impact the pitches remains to be seen. It goes without saying that Pakistani bowlers would prefer bowling on England’s pitches compared to how they would have

Pakistan will miss the batting prowess of Yousuf and Younis

felt bowling on Sri Lankan pitches, but their batting on England’s pitches has never been satisfactory. The batting card for Pakistan on the tour of England should have read- S Butt, Yousuf, Younis, U Akmal, F Alam, S Afridi, but now three players from that card are not playing, which means that the batting has halved in strength. Naturally with drier weather, spin bowling becomes a useful option but Pakistan does not need to worry as much regarding their spin attack because Kaneria has experience in England, and Ajmal and Afridi are reliable.

Australia has shown improvement in T20 and this was clearly visible in the last T20 Cup. Pakistan showed some signs of concern in that Cup as they seemed to excel in neither bowling, batting or fielding. The signs are clearly ominous for Pakistan because they are not a force to be reckoned with in T20 anymore, they are worsening in ODI’s and they are weakest in Test cricket.

There are many challenges for Afridi- keeping the excellent batting form, uniting the team on a difficult tour, and devising some ingenious plans to produce winning results

Pakistan plays some country matches before their first T20 against Australia on 5th July. They will probably win the county matches and they may win against Australia in T20, but they need to put up a good fight in Tests. In fact they will probably be treating the Tests against Australia as a testing ground for the Tests against England.

What Pakistan should have learned for the T20 Cup and the Asia Cup, is that it needs an improvement in all areas- batting, bowling and fielding. Improvement does not come overnight, but ratings do not change overnight too and Pakistan has constantly plummeted in international ratings. After watching Pakistan lose to India in the Asia Cup, one should realise that Pakistan- India matches are not “50-50 chance” contests anymore- one team is clearly stronger than the other. Shahid Afridi will have to work some miracles to make his team put up a decent show against Australia in Tests- and to his misfortune he is pitted against the deplorable standard of fielding, political selections of undeserving players and pathetic management of the PCB of over a decade.

Critising Butt has become boring now, but what else can concerned journalists do?

boring.

The latest stupid shocker to have emerged from the PCB is the return of the 2 Shoaibs.Shoaib Akhtar is 34 on paper and not getting any younger. The last that was heard of Akhtar before he got selected for the Asia Cup was that he had participated in a domestic tournament and had apparently impressed the selectors. This is no big deal as Akhtar has a good record in domestic tournaments but somehow cannot remain fit during international matches.

One wonders if some strategy should be devised to handle the controversial Akhtar, perhaps one where he is not utilised for more than 3 overs in one spell. However this is easier said than done. Firstly, the Pakistani team management is not known for inventing effective strategies. Secondly, the whole bowling strategy would have to be centred around Akhtar and other

Watching Akhtar survive a series without fitness issues would be a miracle

bowlers may be disadvantaged as a result. Asif, Aamer, Afridi and Ajmal are good bowlers in their own right and their strengths and abilities must not be compromised insofar that Akhtar is being facilitated.

There is a saying, “If it aint broke, don’t fix it.” One fails to understand why the Pakistani management takes so much liberties with bowling, when bowling is the least of Pakistan’s worries. When Akhtar gets unfit, the team morale suffers. Plus, Akhtar has issues with teammates like Asif and Afridi. Is it worth playing Akhtar? The Pakistan management keeps playing at least one of Malik and Misbah which weakens the batting, but they are not concerned with the batting! They want to fiddle with the already capable bolwing attack but they do not want to play deserving youngsters in the places of Malik and Misbah. All cricket commentators say that there are many bolwers like Mohammad Aamer in the domestic circuit, yet the PCB wants to play Akhtar instead of giving someone else a chance.

The allegations against the other Shoaib (Malik) are grave and longstanding. Malik is accused of creating factions in the

Lao barati! Bajao band baaja! Aaye Malak saab dulhey raaja.....

team ever since the departure of Inzamam. He is also accused of selfish batting and playing only for himself, not for the team. Despite countless newspaper reports and opinions of cricketers like Abdul Qadir, Sarfraz Nawaz, Afridi and Younis Khan, most people in Pakistan favour Malik’s inclusion in the team. Not only has Malik been blamed for regional bias in the selection of players when he was captain, he also admitted fixing a high profile domestic semi final match. It has been revealed that he refused to bat in a difficult position in a match when it was realised that the pitch was supporting bowlers. Yet, the PCB has excused Malik and he is well and truly back. What kind of justice is this?

Malik’s reinclusion in the team is conclusive evidence of that fact that, in Pakistan if you have connections you can be the biggest criminal, most incompetent, useless person but you will still be able to benefit from a depraved system.

Perhaps the reason why deserving players like Fawad Alam and Hammad Azam are ignored is that the selectors do not want to take risks for fear of losing their credibility. If players like Malik and Misbah fail then the selectors have this

The talented Hammad Azam will have to wait before he gets his chance

excuse that they selected experienced players and hence the fingers get pointed towards the players more than the selectors. This has to be the reason for this inexplicable selection of at least one of Malik and Misbah in every series?

Afridi claims he has remedied his problems with Malik and Akhtar and his team is united. Even if Malik and Akhtar perform in this series this cannot wash away their misdemeanours of yesteryears. The passionate Pakistani cricket fans deserve better than to see these 2 players back in action again.

Lights! Camera! Action!

Pakistan cricket is not any less than an Indian soap opera, and the latest drama created by Ijaz Butt, Younis Khan and the revolting players in the team proves this. Younis Khan, called “Drama Khan” recently by Javed A Khan, has disappointed many of his fans firstly by his slipshod batting in ODI’s recently. Secondly, Younis Khan, troubled by the not-so-secret rebellion in the team and the pressure of playing in a high profile tournament such as the Champions Trophy, offered his resignation on the pretext that he was upset by match fixing allegations and “other matters” (these thought to be the certain dissenting players in the team).

Sure, it is accepted Younis Khan is a man of honour. But match fixing allegations have been part and parcel of Pakistan cricket since time immemorial. Younis could have condemned these accusations in strongest possible terms in front of Jamshed Khan Dasti, but the fact that he resigned made his reaction appear as extreme as the accusations that were levelled against his men. Younis received the sympathy of the nation and was reinstated as captain, however critics were right in predicting that this episode would divert attention away from Younis’s failure as a batsman and captain in the Champions Trophy.

Ijaz Butt is the comedian of Pakistan cricket and it is a wonder he is still Chairman of the PCB after repeated failures. Ijaz

Ijaz Butt- the comedian of this Drama

Butt’s standard of incompetence can be discerned from his unwillingness to sack Malik as captain just before Younis was appointed as captain (it took a Presidential order to convince Butt to remove Malik as captain). Also, recently Butt gave a statement that the English media should focus more on county cricket performances of Pakistanis. Butt gave Kaneria’s example to say that Kaneria has been ripping through line ups, and PCB should get the credit for these performances. However, maybe Butt should realise that even mediocre players like Yasir Arafat have been performing commendably in county cricket and international cricket is very different. If the PCB Chairman is going to make stupid statements like that, what will the world think of Pakistan and PCB? How long do we have to tolerate this incompetent, uncouth and uneducated man as the Chairman? The Pakistan Senate has already predicated that it seems Butt never went to college because he is running the PCB like a grocery shop.

There are villains in this Drama, too. Malik, Misbah and Akmal are playing politics apparently. As always, no direct names have been mentioned; there are only rumours and controversies. Yet it seems fishy Younis has openly stated that certain players have reservations with this captaincy and that there is some kind of disunity. In dramas and movies you see the villains perishing sooner or later, yet in this Drama, Malik and Akmal are still there in the team, vitiating team morale and almost encouraging mediocrity. It is sad jealousy and bias based around regionalism still affects the team after Pakistan as a country and as a cricket team has lost so much because of it. But, that is how it works in Pakastan.

Speaking of regionalism, the reaction of the Karachi lobby to Younis Khan’s resignation was extreme and unprecedented. The Karachi lobby was instrumental in the sacking of Malik and appointment of Younis Khan as captain, and it is thought the lobby also wants Afridi as the next captain of the Pakistan team. The anti-Punjab stance of this lobby is worrying although it is submitted that its intentions are to weaken regional influence in team selection.

Afridi is also playing a little drama of his own. For some reason Afridi has decided to temporarily quit Test cricket at a time when he is batting more sensibly than ever and his bowling has significantly matured. What has caused Afridi to make this ridiculous decision? Test cricket is dying in Pakistan and Afridi could have been an asset for the team.

Pakistan is the laughing stock of world cricket and this Drama must now end. The Chairman needs to go, the elements playing politics need to be removed. Malik needs to be sacked anyway because playing him means accepting mediocrity. Malik has recently given an interview saying that he will be selected for Pakistan’s next Test assignment. This is shocking considering that he is one of the reasons why Pakistan is considered a mediocre Test team. Younis Khan is unstable and unpredictable and a person of his temperament must not be captain. Now he wants to play T20 cricket again although earlier this year he was adamant T20 is not for him. Younis should set an example and retire from ODI cricket. Pakistan is pinning hopes on Shahid Afridi to lead the team and weed out mediocre players.

Dasti thinks Pakistan lost matches due to match fixing

Pakistan cricket finds itself in further chaos after Pakistan’s pathetic defeat at the hands of New Zealand in the ICC Champions Trophy. The Chairman of the Sports Standing Committee, Jamshed Khan Dasti has levelled allegations that Younis Khan and his men fixed matches for various reasons. Dasti has reportedly backtracked on his accusations but the incident has left a deep scar on Pakistan cricket and its followers.

Dasti’s outbursts against Ijaz Butt a few months ago were generally well received by

"Yes, I can play stupid and irresponsible shots but I am no match fixer"

most fans. However this time Dasti is being accused of being too whimsical in alleging match fixing. Whenever Pakistan loses a major tournament, match fixing is always alleged by someone. It is impossible to say whether these players are truly match fixers because match fixing is planned in secrecy for obvious reasons and because it is very difficult to ascertain which bowlers is deliberately bowling badly or which batsman has deliberately thrown his wicket. It was a stupid reaction to say Younis Khan dropped Elliot’s catch because the match was fixed; this is because harder catches are dropped under extreme pressure even by the best fielders. Younis Khan’s batting in ODI’s is inconsistent and irresponsible and the way he gets out, it is extremely unlikely that he would be throwing his wicket. He gets so many inside edges and strange edges that it would take a magician to master those shots leading to a dismissal. However, Younis Khan is definitely talented and the title of this thread does not do him justice as it is meant more for Shoaib Malik and Misbah ul Haq.

Malik- great against India, deplorable against everyone else

The only time Malik performs when it matters is against India. Otherwise he is like a parasite in the team and his bowling and batting both are below par. One must ask how long Pakistan will keep tolerating Malik’s meaningless selfish batting displays? How long will this nonsense continue? Malik has shown absolutely no improvement for years; he is still vulnerable against the new ball, weak against sheer pace and his batting is still very selfish. Malik got a huge and overwhelming lifeline after scoring a century against India and even his harshest critics praised him. However it was shocking to see Malik receiving so much praise since he scored his first 30 runs in about 65 balls and he could have been out on 35. Indian bowlers were disinterested and demoralised and the Indian team showed no application or desire to beat Pakistan. Only one team wanted to win that day. Malik’s selection is devoid of educated reasoning and this biased and emotional selection must now cease once and for all. Pakistan must look for more Umar Akmals and Fawad Alams.

The so called talented opener Imran Nazir is talentless in ODI’s. One wonders what

So called specialist opener Imran Nazir is jeered by Makhaya Ntini

Pakistan’s obsession with specialist openers is, when the country has only seen 1 world class specialist opener live up to his domestic reputation, in Hanif Mohammad. The other great opener was Saeed Anwar but he was initially a middle order player. Fawad Alam’s splendid century on a seaming track proved that a middle order batsman can play the same as, if not better than an opener and for that reason it is submitted Pakistan should try Fawad Alam as opener in all forms of the game. The so called cricketing experts like Aamir Sohail moan about why Pakistan does not use more specialist openers, but Sohail should be quizzed as to who exactly should be tried. Everyone from Butt, to Hameed, to Umar and to Nazir has been a complete and utter failure.

In this tournament Pakistan’s weak links proved to be Imran Nazir, Younis Khan and Shoaib Malik. Pathetic batsman Misbah ul Haq has finally been sidelined, but Malik must now be sacked. Younis should either quit ODI cricket or he should be demoted down the order as his wicket has a high price on it and Pakistan cannot afford to see him throwing away his wicket irresponsibly any more.

The problem with PCB is that the idiots who run the show are uneducated and uncouth and they have absolutely no concern for the future of cricket. A lot of the problems are outside the PCB’s control but player selection is totally in the hands of the team management and the Board. Ijaz Butt has learnt no lessons in the past and he will learn nothing in the aftermath of the humiliating defeat against a mediocre team like New Zealand, either. If he is willing and able to learn, my advice for him is to drop Malik permanently, bring Younis down the order  and get rid of players like Imran Nazir. Match fixers or not, these players are definitely not performing in ODI’s and they must be fixed so that Pakistan can creep out of the shackles of mediocrity.

Misbah is a loser and we would love to see his back

Waqar Younis was asked what happened in the last 2 ODI’s and he actually spoke bluntly about the issue, and hinted that some players were under the verge of being dropped and they had to perform. Of course, he was talking about Misbah ul Haq. Ever since the series against India during which Misbah was Pakistan’s best batsman, Misbah seems to have lost his touch. He looks lazy on the field and appears to be uninterested in ensuring Pakistan fights and retains some pride. Indeed he appears to be playing for himself only. He underperformed in the ODI series against Australia, but then he played a good knock in the final ODI and remained not out, which catapulted his average into the 40s. He then had a poor T20 tournament, although it is accepted he did not get many chances to bat. But after his performance in this ODI series where he only played for himself, PCB should definitely drop him permanently. But the way things work in Pakistan, Misbah is being hailed as a good batsman again and his selection for the Champions Trophy next month is definitely on the cards. If the PCB can’t discern this pattern whereby some players only play for themselves and don’t support the captain, then the selectors might as well consider them automatic selections. Why did the management drop Malik and Misbah a few times in this ODI series if it keeps giving them chances like these to play selfishly and cement their places in the team? It is so obvious from the way Misbah played that he was only interested in remaining not out, in the 5th ODI. His strike rate was almost 100 when he came out to bat, but dropped into the 80s when he was on 40, because he only wanted to reach his 50. And then he could never improve his strike rate towards the end. It was pathetic to see Misbah blocking the balls and running singles when the time had come to slog.

Another loser is Shoaib Malik, who was dropped after 3 failures. Malik only made 21 runs in 3 matches and his

Any fair and rational person would want Malik to be dropped. However, his selection for the Champions Trophy is also very much on the cards

 bowling also made no impact. Malik appears so clueless against the new ball that you wonder why he plays international cricket. It is accepted that all Pakistani batsmen, to some extent or the other, struggle to play the moving ball but Malik appears especially vulnerable. Why is the selection committee so blind that they can’t see he is a nothing player who makes no meaningful contribution and plays selfishly? How many potential Umer Akmals and Fawad Alams must have been destroyed by the PCB in order to retain Shoaib Malik!

Younis Khan is under fire, but just how much respect and authority he commands is questionable

Although Malik and Misbah are the main problems in the Pakistan side, Younis Khan does not make a solid impression as captain. Younis failed on the seaming tracks of Dambulla but his performance was better on the flatter Colombo pitches. Younis has made some unforgivable errors in captaincy, such as using a spinner to bowl in Powerplays in the last few overs of an innings. It is debated how much authority Younis actually has. Whereas the PCB reports that Younis has considerable authority, Younis himself has given statements to the media where he is clearly unhappy with some players in the team and he has also complained of too much interference from the coach, the manager and the vice captain. Younis did play two outstanding knocks in the final 2 ODI’s and he showed fighting spirit. He was easily Pakistan’s best batsman in this series.

Young Umer Akmal also performed commendably. Unlike his team mate Fawad

One would hope Umer Akmal will permanently replace either one of Malik or Misbah

 Alam, Umer was lucky to have been called to the international stage at such a young age. However, Umer showed a lot of panache and character when he made his century. It seems Malik and Misbah don’t mind Umer Akmal as much. They vehemently opposed Fawad Alam’s inclusion when Fawad’s introduction on the international arena was being considered. One wonders why?
Speaking of Fawad Alam, he had a disappointing series. Although showing some mettle in the 1st ODI when he was Pakistan’s top scorer amongst all recognised batsman, Fawad looked clueless in the next 2 games. Still, it was unfair to drop him after only 2 bad games. It seemed the management did not want to isolate the underperforming Malik, so Fawad was also made a victim of this agenda. Fawad should never bank on having support from the seniors or having some kind of permanent position in the team because of his background. He needs to perform like Miandad if he wants to stay. Otherwise, he will disappear into oblivion like Asim Kamal.

Bowling wise Pakistan was better. Aamer and Ajmal were Pakistan’s best bowlers and one would hope Aamer is not burned out. Rana and Rao bowled well in patches. Pakistan was pathetic on this tour because of its batting, so the bowling will not be considered any further. 

This is definitely another new low in Pakistan cricket. Malik and Misbah are ruining team spirit and underperforming. However, this series has also exposed how fragile Pakistani batsmen are on seaming tracks. With two able batsmen in the side, U Akmal and Alam, it would have made a lot of sense to drop Malik and Misbah and persist with those two. However, it is already being reported that Malik and Misbah will make into the Champions Trophy squad. The PCB has learned nothing and this tour of Sri Lanka proved to be a waste of time. The team management seems to have a different agenda to seeing the players develop and seeing more fighting spirit from the players. What else can explain the constant selection of Malik and Misbah in the Pakistan team? It is very likely that the Pakistan team will underperform in the Champions Trophy.

A bunch of losers

IMRAN KHAN

There is too much of Imranism in Pakistan cricket. I have a lot of respect for Imran Khan, but sometimes he disappoints me with his bigmouth loud thinking. Apart from sponsoring, praising and ruining the career of Mohammad Sami, and then by saying that Younus Khan is the logical choice to captain Pakistan side and now this recent statement that, Shoaib Akhtar deserves one final chance to prove his worth are a few examples of his bad judgment about players and imo these are big bloopers. I think he speaks loud without thinking and then he goes on supporting his own view even when he is proved wrong.

During his captaincy days, he supported Mansoor Akhtar who failed miserably and not just once but many times and Imran Khan not only selected him over others but, gave his total support to the extent that people started calling Mansoor Akhtar as his blue eyed boy.  As a captain and as a player Imran Khan had many good qualities but, it doesn’t mean whatever he says is always right.

Giving Shoaib Akhtar one last chance is like killing one more young potential fast bowler’s career. I don’t agree with his notion that the Actor deserve one last chance. Its all over, he is done and dusted and finished. He should not even think of playing cricket anymore at any level. Therefore, it is not right for Imran Khan to poke his nose in the team selection and influence the senile, demented, daft and impotent selectors who are already ruining the career of so many young cricketers.

Pakistan should seriously bring in fresh, new, young fast bowlers in the team like Mohammad Aamir, Sohail Khan etc. And forget about Shoaib Akhtar, Rao, Arafat, Rana they are all spent force. They cannot justify their presence in the team purely on the merit of bowling alone. Abdul Razzaq is in again because of his batting and a little bit of bowling left in him and because of the fact there aren’t any fast bowlers who have some experience. The ban on Asif shall be removed but, there is no guarantee that he will get back into his rhythm and take wickets.

In this thread, I want khansahab and others to identify and highlight the names of a few young talented fast bowlers who are performing well in the domestic circuit and they are either ignored or sidelined by the selectors.

Younus Khan’s blaming the domestic cricket structure of Pakistan is definitely like a bad carpenter blaming his tools and I think he is simply echoing the words of his mentor, supporter Imran Khan who has been talking about it since the last 2 decades. In order to set that structure right one needs to identify and recognize the fallacies and set the priorities in order and determine which came first, the egg or the chicken? In this context i.e., to change the domestic cricket structure, whether the wholesale change in the team is needed first or, the whole of the PCB regime needs to be revamped and restructured first?

Is Younus Khan's reverse sweep the sole responsibility for losing the test series?

Whats wrong with today’s journalists, critics and experts that they tend to ignore the basics and have become spineless reporters, they simply take orders or press releases and pre-packed information for reporting rather than working out what is the truth behind the stories and giving the readers a truthful picture and not a sensational or biased story which either hides the truth or distorts the truth. The first obligation of any form of journalism be it political, scientific, cultural or sports is – truthful presentation of facts to the public.

It has to be such that  you display your loyalty to the readers and to the public in general. And, the essence of its discipline is the verification of truth from various sources and, those who practice as freelancers must maintain their independence by covering the stories that are not just stories but, what is the truth behind those stories.

Unfortunately in today’s journalism they do not have the independent power to stand up for the rights for the people who read their articles, news items, the reporting must provide a truthful forum for public criticism and compromise. But, thanks to the Internet and the emergence of blogs, there is a kinda check and balance in their reporting, yet there are those who have built a name or a reputation as fair and impartial journalists can get away by their biased reporting and or, writing the stuff that suits their needs or, by writing their personal views which they think is right. That is not journalism, it has to be relevant and significant as well as interesting yet very comprehensive, fair, honest, unbiased and the writer must exercise his personal conscience in reporting.

Even in routine reporting, bias can creep into a story through a reporter’s choice of facts to summarize, or through failure to check enough sources, hear and report dissenting voices, or seek fresh perspectives. And, the recent example of this kinda reporting was observed in sports journalism. I am talking about cricket in particular where, well known and renowned journalists and critics have deliberately ignored the truth and picked up only bits and pieces of a story, distorted it and created something they think is right, in fact they want others to believe that this is the truth – which actually is far, far away from truth.

Some of the journalists are practicing two types of censorship, one is organizational censorship and the other is the self-censorship and both are a growing problem in journalism, particularly in covering stories that sharply restrict press freedom. As commercial pressures in the media marketplace grows, media organizations are loath to lose access to high-profile stories by producing unflattering stories.

It is a known fact that journalists in many countries enjoy certain privileges which are not enjoyed by members of the general public, including better access to public events, crime scenes and press conferences, and to extended interviews with public officials, celebrities and others in the public eye. And same is the case in sports journalism and in dealing with famous cricket personalities who are more famous than movie celebrities of today.

These privileges are there because of the perceived power of the press to turn public opinion for or, against governments, their officials and policies, as well as the perception that the press often represents their consumers. These privileges extend from the legal rights of journalists but, are not guaranteed by those rights. Sometimes government officials may attempt to punish individual journalists who irk them by denying them some of these privileges extended to other journalists. Like banning them from the White House news briefings where they like to see and to be seen and nothing more than a status symbol.

Anyways, I do not wish to delve deeper in the political journalism but, my aim is to highlight the trend that is seen for the past few years and now it has become more obvious to public and i.e., choice reporting. But, the best thing that has happened in these few years is the emergence of blogs on the Internet and the emergence of our independent blog is the result of organizational censorship that we have seen on cricinfo where our comments were censored, edited, curtailed and sometimes deleted completely. So, we established this blog not only vent out our feelings or frustration as some may think, but to raise a voice against injustices in Pakistan cricket, against regionalism, jingoism and unfair selection of the team etc., etc.

Here we not only write what we feel is the truth and nothing but truth, but we also allow comments which are very diversified and sometimes very inappropriate in language yet we publish them and we do reply to them according to the tone of that comment, sometimes with a touch of light humour and sometimes with comments supported by facts and figures.

The reason of writing this thread on this subject is, we felt very cheesed off by the recent articles written by some very well known and respected journalists and critics for whom we had very high regard and we considered them as journalists and critics of very high standard that they are fair and unbiased. But, they too have either ignored or neglected the truth and wrote something to appease the masses.

Now, I would like to pinpoint the fact that irks us and it is about the criticism that is hurled and bombarded on Pakistan cricket team captain, Younus Khan for playing that reverse sweep on which he got out in the second test against Sri Lanka. The whole media has targeted him as the culprit and because of his stupid shot Pakistan lost the test series against Sri Lanka. Wait a second gentlemen, take pause and don’t allow your mind to run like that of a cattle herd and keep on jumping into that hole one after the other, don’t let your mind controlled by a pied-piper instead, use your mind and your intellect in all fairness and think whether they are right or they tainting your opinions? Younus Khan was out after making 80 odd runs, he was involved in a 200 runs partnership with Fawad Alam. How can you blame him, or make him responsible for losing the series?

What else do you want from him? Score a triple hundred and win the match singlehandedly? What about the spineless and nothing players like Malik and Misbah. They came and played like novices, in fact they deliberately threw away their wickets and from 285 for one, the team was all out on 320. Just an addition of 35 runs and lost 9 wickets. And you hold Younus Khan responsible for that?

If there is a sports journalist in Pakistan or elsewhere who can say I write independently or cover the news for the interest of Pakistani cricket fans, must stand up now and speak like a man rather than creating a story for the masses who do not wish to hear anything against their local heroes Malik and Misbah along with their sidekick Kamran Akmal. The reality bites, they cannot handle the truth hence they cannot write the truth.

I request the readers and bloggers of this blog to express their views without any bias or hesitation and let us clear this thing and prove that there is freedom of expression here and we do not have those organizational censorship or the self-imposed censorship to get a vote of appreciation for being fair, impartial and lenient and the truth they are not fair and lenient but biased and partial. We are setting up a polling here for you to vote whether you hold Misbah and Malik as culprits for losing the test series or was it Younus Khan’s reverse sweep? Please be honest and fair and vote.  Thank you ALL.

There is no hope for the Pakistan Test team as Pakistan have already lost this Test series which they could have won had they been playing with a middle order that could play the new ball (Pakistan lost both Tests because the lower middle order could not handle the new ball). Also, Pakistan would be in a better position if the middle order was not playing politics based on jealousy and regionalism. Pakistan is likely to win this Test but it seems inconsequential because they lost the first 2 Tests in disappointing fashion.

Malik made a potentially match winning century but why did such a gallant effort come from him after Pakistan lost the series? And why has Malik made a habit of performing when Pakistan has already lost and his place is on the line? If Malik and Misbah face problems with the new ball, why are they playing Test cricket and why are they batting at no 5 and no 6 which is when it is very likely a player may face the new ball? No one can answer these questions. In Test cricket, every player in the XI needs to be of a certain calibre and must have a role. Consistency is not good enough in Test cricket unless one is making 50s and 100s consistently. Malik and Misbah make 30s and 40s consistently but that is simply not good enough.

Once Afridi comes in the Test playing XI, Malik will struggle to find a place

Such is this audacity of mediocrity, that these two players are very clearly not suited to their batting positions and roles, yet they continue to plague the team. One wonders what would happen if Shahid Afridi had been in the Test squad? What would the team composition have been in the 1st Test? Manzoor would have been dropped and Malik would have opened with Butt. Afridi would have played at no 6. However, there are serious problems there as Malik refused to open in the 2nd Test, which is why the position went to Fawad Alam. Many people do not consider Afridi to be a Test player but the fact is that if Afridi is in the squad, Malik would have to open, or he would have to sit out. Such is the audacity of talent, commitment and hope. Afridi exudes hope whereas Malik does not, despite question marks over Afridi’s Test calibre.

Whoever thinks any Test team can survive on the basis of T2o reputation is living in fools’ paradise. What people don’t realise is that 4 day cricket at domestic level develops skills in players that should in theory, show in ODI’s and Tests. We have spoken about this before but Malik averages 29.54 in first class cricket which is lower than any recognised batsman in the Pakistan squad. If the Pakistan Test team is going to deteriorate, then the results will show in ODI’s, too. Test cricket is the format where a player develops mental strength and that extra “push” that is needed to perform flawlessly and consistently in ALL formats. It is because Younis Khan is a class player at Test level that he was able to be amongst Pakistan’s best batsmen in the T20 Cup despite not being an expert T20 player at domestic level.

Now the worry for Pakistan is that in 2 years, Younis and Yousuf are bound to retire. Younis has already admitted he is 34, and Yousuf’s official age is 34, too. What will happen to this team when there is no Younis and Yousuf? Pakistan is dangerously heading towards that position where it will be a pathetic Test team. The middle order is the team’s backbone, and without a backbone a creature becomes slimy, gooey and spineless- a bit like Shoaib Malik. So the Pakistan Test team will become Shoaib Malik in 2 years if Malik and Misbah are not removed asap.

What we say about Malik and Misbah is said with a lot of passion, good intentions, good judgement, statistics,

Malik and Misbah- the audacity of mediocrity

 expertise, hindsight, foresight, common sense etc. Now it is upto fans and the PCB to take notice of this and remove this abomination of mediocrity from the Test team. Why does it matter so much what we say? Because we say a lot about “what will happen” in Pakistan and the Pakistani team- we discuss players, strategies, politics etc and our predictions are almost always right. So dissidents should shut up, with all due respect, and think about the future of cricket and abandon emotions of regionalism, jealousy and ego. Malik has been playing Test cricket for 8 years and he has not developed a role yet. He is not good as opener, he is not good as a middle order batsman, he is pathetic as a bowler, and worst of all, he can’t play the new ball. And he was made captain of the team and even now people say he should not be dropped because he is the former captain and he should not be disrespected.

Such is the audacity of mediocrity.

Javed A Khan wrote an insightful thread recently, titled, “Leaders, Team Players and Nothing Players”. People can ask Javed A Khan, Awas, or myself, how can Pakistan be rescued because there are not many leaders or team players? Our answer would be simple- drop the nothing players, for it is they who are coming in the way of producing good leaders and team players.

Such is the audacity of hope.

Misbah Paddling

Shoaib Malik Pack your bags and go home

Kamran you are too small to get into big conspiracies so don't get involved

Younis Khan’s team won the first T20 WC champions by defeating Sri Lanka in the final.  Then, suddenly they became the first team from Pakistan under his leadership to suffer a test series defeat at the hands of Sri Lanka.

There are rumours of conspiracy theories creeping up, whatever the reasons or rumours that may be spreading, Pakistan has proved to be one of the most unpredictable teams in world cricket who can self-destruct from a winning position to a losing one.

People say you can expect anything from Pakistan, they are the most unpredictable team in the world. Unpredictability alone is not the issue, there are some unexplainable questions like, no one knows how Fawad Alam on his debut can play the Sri Lankan bowlers with ease and scored a masterly 168 with such ease and without any stress. Whereas, the most experienced middle order couldn’t even reach double figures.  It seems like they did not want to score any runs and get out as soon as possible was it a deliberate ruse or was it really so difficult to play?  If it was difficult for them why was it so easy for Fawad Alam?

The way Shoaib Malik scored a six and got clean bowled the next ball is a proof that he wasn’t interested in securing the match. Neither Misbah nor, Akmal did anything to add a few runs to the total neither the Captain has any explanation to this pathetic batting displayed by his batsmen in both the test matches.

The captain, the coach, the selectors and the PCB Chairman they all came up with some stupid notion that Pakistan has not played much of test cricket. Earlier in the T20 WC when they lost the warm-up matches as well as the first round matches, they used the same template.  “Our team didn’t play much of international cricket and we are a bit rusty.” And, when they won the WC they used it as a dual edged sword.

It is really stupid to make such excuses especially when the senior batsmen simply throw away their wickets, it is not cricket it looks like there is something more than what meets the eye. The senior players simply didn’t show any responsibility and lack of test exposure or lack of international cricket has nothing to do with it and not only Younis Khan, but the entire Butt management knows the real reason. But, they are not willing to accept it and not willing to make any changes.

Some of the viewers and TV media sports critics are blaming Younus Khan for the reverse sweep that he played and got out.  Agreed that was a very stupid and unwanted shot.  But, he made 83 runs and was involved in a partnership of 200 runs with Fawad Alam.  But, what about the rest of the players? Three of the team’s senior batsmen did not do anything in this series so far.  Mohammad Yousuf has made a century but what about others?

The former captain Shoaib Malik, who self proclaims that he is Pakistan’s best all-rounder, he is playing international cricket for ten years and still he cannot decide at what number he can bat?  In 4 innings Shoaib Malik has scored 83 runs 39 n.o. being the highest which helped his average reaching at 27.66 still it is lower than his career average of 35.73.  His supporters are saying that he got out on a peach of a ball.  What a load of BS.  A good player is not supposed to get out on a peach of a ball. Although it was not a good ball, but just a straighter one and he missed it completely.  If he is such a good player he should not have played such a stupid shot.  A six and then clean bowled.  That was not what the Doctor Ordered.

Misbah-ul-Haq or,  Mis fit ul Haq in the test team yet he is the vice captain, has a career test aggregate of 779 runs in 14 test matches with an average of 37 runs.  And, in the last two tests or in 4 innings he scored only 66 runs at an average of 16.50.  What has happened to him? Is he just like this from the beginning? Or, he has become so lethargic and indifferent lately?  Because the moments of sporadic brilliance do not have any consistency in his game which makes him a very mediocre player.  His game is more like a swinging yo-yo. He is definitely not a finisher but, a loser.

Kamran Akmal is displaying the worst batting performance in Sri Lanka. He managed only 29 runs from four innings in the series at an average of only 12.25. He has a much better career average of  33.09 but, it seems like he has unduly dragged himself  as a part of the conspiracy. He should better get out of this triangle because he is a square peg in a round hole.

The below-par performance of the Three Musketeers has sparked rumours that they are not happy with the captain and also with other members of the team because Shoaib Malik was stripped off his captaincy and to avenge this, they are creating groups.

These conspiracy theories are not new, but this time it is getting so obvious that even a dimwit dolt can make out that it is happening. Even the morale boosting win at the T20 WC in the UK has failed to unite the team which many people including Sarfaraz Nawaz, believes the team is bitterly divided and killing the team spirit.

Sarfraz Nawaz is convinced that there are ‘groupings’ within the team with senior players like, Malik and Misbah unwilling to give their best under Younis Khan and they deserve an axe.

Even Inzamam-ul-Haq has raised similar fears.  He also said, that Younis Khan is not handling the situation very firmly and his happy and jovial attitude and light comments during the post match press conferences are not helping in erasing this menace and he needs to take a firm action and drop those players who are not performing.

It was expected a lot from Younus Khan that he is  “NO DUMMY CAPTAIN” and will stand up firmly to discipline the team because, it is definitely the job of the captain and the team management not only to discipline the team but, also to resolve these trivial issues and those who are trying to divide the team or create fractions and divisions in the team must be admonished, dropped and penalized.

It is about time that Malik and Misbah must be dropped from the third test and Kamran Akmal should be advised that he is getting a last chance, either he perform or join the culprits who are creating divisions and fractions in the team.  Sarfaraz Ahmad is waiting for his wings and eager to fly.  Fawad Alam has set a precedent that no matter how long you may suppress an individual you cannot kill the spirit and the desire to fly and a talent is never wasted for long.

The selectors were not willing to drop Salman Butt they made several excuses by saying:  “Yes, Fawad Alam is a very talented player an excellent fielder BUT, we do not have a spot for him in the team.” The moment he replaced Salman Butt, it is all history now.

Why is it Malik and Misbah not questioned for their pathetic performance? Are they above the law or like someone said, are they sacred cows? If they don’t perform they must be dropped. Like I have said in the previous thread that, Faisal Iqbal and Abdul Razzaq can fill in their spots and these two defeats should be considered as an opportunity to bring about the desired changes.

If Pakistan needs to build a team for the test, they have to take these decisions and formulate a plan and a strategy to make sure that such shameful defeats may not happen again, especially when they visit Australia and New Zealand in the near future.

No one expects Pakistan to be the world champions of T20 (which they are) ODI and also number one test team in the world. But, they expect them to fight till the end. The team’s morale is such that they do not show any fighting spirit at all. Until and unless these changes are not made, others will not pay any heed in improving their standards.

Winning the T20 WC was no fluke, the team played the finals in the last WC and won this time. It was a good start to win the cup after the political crisis and the social boycott they got because of the security aspect. But, this test series defeat has left a big stain on the face of those who proclaim that they are the best all-rounders and best batsmen in Pakistan, it is more like a stigma and a taboo for them after this shameful defeat.  But, there are other players who played well and they deserve the respect, praise and accolades and they must be encouraged.  Hence, the team needs to move ahead and move on just like Fawad Alam did.  He shone brilliantly like a star in the dark night while others around him were dwindling and fading away.

Fawad Alam is a shining example for those who thought that, “Alam tou sirf Dam-e-Khayaal hai.” And it is for this reason Ghalib has said:

Hasti kay faraib may mutt ajaiyo Asad

Alam tamam dam-e-khayaal hai.

Fawad Alam The Shining Star

 

I have narrated the following incident more than once, but for those not aware of it yet, I will do so again. Here I don’t want to take credit for “spotting talent” and neither am I trying to give Javed A Khan and Awas credit for believing in Fawad Alam. But, the first time I noticed something different about Alam was in the final of the ABN AMRO T20 Cup 2006. Karachi lost the final to Sialkot, but Alam went down fighting. The biggest problem with Pakistan cricket of late has been that Pakistan tends to lose humiliatingly very often and shows no fighting spirit. In that match I saw fighting spirit, class, passion and a certain genius. It was not the Tendulkaresque or Yousufesque genius of creating super strokes. It was the genius of ticking the scorecard, rotating strike, punishing the bad ball for the boundary and playing with a big heart. Verily, Sialkot players stood in one line and appluaded this 20 year old as he left the ground injured, for he was the only barrier between Sialkot and that Cup. Never before had I witnessed such a sight in any kind of cricket.

After that as I relayed the domestic performances of Fawad Alam, the other Legslip managers supported him. We spoke about where he would suitably bat in the line up, whom he would replace, and who was playing politics against him. None of us could imagine that Alam would be made to open the innings. It could be Younis’s surprising masterstroke, or it could be a sinister trick contrived by someone with an agenda against Alam. Yet, whatever it was, it worked wonders as Alam became the only Pakistani to score a century on debut outside of Pakistan.

Perhaps Man makes his own destiny, or perhaps it is created for him. What else can explain the singular events

Fawad should ideally have replaced Malik in the middle order

 culminating in one of the best knocks by an opener seen in recent times? Perhaps having such resilience, passion for the country and honesty within oneself, is bound to pay dividends. The formula seems simple, but it takes a man and a half for execution. Fawad Alam’s name was on the cards for two years. Despite repeated batting debacles, Fawad was not experimented with. Average players like Malik were preferred and during Malik’s time as captain, Fawad was sidelined so much, as to bat in the line up after the likes of Sohail Tanvir. Yet, he did not lose hope. Sometimes the difference between the winner and the loser is one who sees the glass half full rather than half empty. Fawad emerged as the winner.

No young cricketer has suffered and been made to suffer so much in recent times. And no young cricketer has come out on top like this either in recent times. The scenes we witnessed today as Fawad performed the “sajda” after getting his 50, and then a very long sajda after getting his hundred, signify what he has gone through. When Younis embraced him after his milestone, he was seen wiping tears off his cheeks. Fawad is actually not “young” when you consider the age he has made his Test debut- 23. Salman Butt, Kamran Akmal, Mohammad Aamer, Shoaib Malik, Umar Gul, Khurram Manzoor- all these players debuted before they were 23. In fact one could say according to Pakistani standards, his entry into international cricket has been at a relatively ripe age.

The prophecies have been fulfilled

Pakistan cricket has found a hero. This has been a journey of a fighter, of someone who has strived to look at the bright side of things in times of despair. It has been nothing short of a fairytale, or a rags to riches story. Fawad was right when he said that if you have what it takes mentally, then it does not matter what number you bat on- you are bound to succeed. One would hope future selection of players is based on this criterion, and not other criteria. Today Fawad silenced all critics who thought he was too short, too young, too meek, too modest and who just did not like him for his looks or background.

The premise of the much acclaimed movie, “Slumdog Millionaire”, is that God works in mysterious ways and sometimes, unexpected success and glory is written in destiny, and hence unavoidable. Sometimes, bad things happen to good people. This is not to say Alam is a “good person” per se, but something about Alam’s success makes me feel it can teach an invaluable lesson in life. The moral of the story is never to look back in times of adversity, even when you know there is injustice against you. It is a simple formula, but it produces spectacular, unbelievable results.